While I’m thrilled that astrology is spreading like wildfire on the internet, I am less thrilled at the fear that is sometimes generated, both by astrologers and by readers themselves.
I’d like to post a portion of an email from a client, perhaps this may be helpful for others.
Client: I read on another site that this lunar eclipse is a big one for Virgos born 17-21.
I’m really nervous. Can’t find my CD of our reading to check if this is a day I should stay in bed:)
Lynn: I’m sorry that I am just responding to your email and the eclipse happened last night. The reason that site said this about Virgos is because the lunar eclipse was in a square aspect to your Sun. But more important for your chart, it also made a very tight square to your Moon. This suggests that this period may be catalyzing some big emotional shifts for you – if so, it’s a good time to breathe deeply and let go so that the transformation can occur. If we stay in bed, metaphorically or literally, we miss the opportunity to unfold in a new way.
Despite the fear tactics that some astrologers use, I have not seen instances where eclipses lead to tragic events. They are general internal forces that create change.
Please don’t let astrology scare you! It should be a tool to bring wisdom into our lives, and where there is wisdom fear disappears.
Please note that I am unable to offer free readings to the general public unless they are clients.
Hi Lynn,
I couldn’t agree more with what you say.
Astrology is too often used an an excuse/blamed for what’s going on, when it’s more helpful to think of it as the cosmic weather forecast… energy that’s out there, ready to be used.
Thanks for a great post.
Sue
Thank you for promoting sanity, Lynn. This topic has been much on my mind lately too. Astrologers who use fear tactics to generate business are on the wrong track IMO, and send a very bad message about astrology in general.
Somehow those of us elders are still around and the sky has not fallen yet. :D
Have a wonderful blessed Solstice and a productive, rewarding coming year.
xo diane~
Thanks Sue and Diane for your comments. This client emailed me back and said she sailed through the eclipse with no problems. Of course! ;D
Thank you Lynn for keeping things real.
Fear inhibits, is unhelpful and unhealthy, but it gets attention.
In my experience, Eclipses signify a change in awareness, highlight the way we relate, and ultimately brings enlightenment. As you said, change “… is an opportunity to bring wisdom into our lives.”
Your perspective is truly appreciated.
Sandra
I have to agree with you partially on this Lynn. I receive emails as well from people afraid of such things; however, it is noted in mundane astrology that eclipses ARE warnings, and are not seen as positive where they are visible.
This has proven to be true over the ages. We cannot change this simply because we do not want to be fearful.
Eclipses of the Sun and Moon, either by conjunction or opposition are syzergy events: usually we witness tragic events such as earthquakes, and other events that impact populations
With this lunar eclipse, we should see the events take place within this week, pointing to the days of December 30-31.
I do not agree that eclipses only lead to internal changes. They are external as well. These are also physical events, we must remember.
This particular lunar eclipse has as much to do with the condition of North America’s population, as much as it does with the rough winter climate on the way.
Also, what is called “fear” is often people expressing frustration & stress over the unknown, which, without proper astrological guidance and knowledge, can lead to people being fearful about the effects of eclipses on them individually.
I rarely see astrologers using ‘scare tactics,’ but it may be that they lack mundane knowledge and so take something which they may have read about eclipses and translate that into what is perceived as fear because of the lack of knowledge or wisdom.
The way to deal effectively with this is through education and instruction by professional astrologers, but not to alter mundane interpretations of events like eclipses, which are indeed warnings.
We cannot change this simply because we don’t like it, but to allow anyone in fear to see that there is no reason to be fearful of the unknown, but to embrace it.
Hi Theodore,
I do understand that eclipses are often tied to earthquakes and other events, but these things happen many times when there are no eclipses. And many times we sail through the most intense of eclipses with no earthquakes or other disasters. But the point of this article, and so many others like it that I’ve written over the years, is that predicting a cataclysm in someone’s personal life during an eclipse isn’t helpful, and is likely inaccurate. I so often have clients who come to me for readings because an astrologer has scared them to death. Just last week someone came to me who had been told by an astrologer last year that when this eclipse hit her Venus either she or her partner could die or have a disastrous accident. How helpful is that? Besides being extremely unlikely.
I have seen many instances over the years, with clients as well as myself, where an eclipse did turn out to be a positive event in that it unmasked something that needed to be revealed. This event may not have been comfortable, but it was an exhilarating release of an old pattern of being that became a catalyst for change.
Hi Lynn,
Eclipses are always transpersonal events, in that eclipses are signs for populations where the eclipse is visible.
Eclipses of the Sun and Moon are syzygy events that cause physical events such as earthquakes and bring signs of strong storms. In fact, there have been several seismic events associated with this recent lunar eclipse.
The position and alignment of eclipses do matter. Some are angled widely, others fall on angles, while others fall at anaretic degrees, such as the recent Dec. 21, 2010 lunar eclipse.
The confusion of eclipses comes from some astrologers who mix in transpersonal influences with natal astrology inappropriately; such as the astrologer you mentioned who told a client they could die, which is very wrong for the astrologer to do.
I’ve been dismayed for years hearing about “astrologers” who have major gaps in their knowledge and practice of astrology to the level of not understanding the nature of eclipses, and other major transits which are clearly transpersonal – affecting whole populations.
I enjoy your perspective of transits being able to release old patterns that become catalysts for change. This I agree with wholeheartedly, because we all have the capacity through our free will for positive change under our native skies.